Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fiducia | /fiˈdu.t͡ʃa/ | feminine |
| autostima | feminine | |
| certezza | /t͡ʃerˈtet.t͡sa/ | feminine |
| sicurezza di sé | feminine |
In Italian, the choice of word for confidence depends on whether you are describing trust in others, a sense of self-worth or a psychological state of assurance. While fiducia is the most common term, it primarily implies trust or reliance on someone or something else. To describe the psychological state of self-confidence or self-assurance, use sicurezza di sé. If you are referring to a sense of self-worth or self-esteem, use autostima.
Which one should you use?
The different forms of the word provide specific nuances: fiducia is used for trust or confidence in others, whereas sicurezza di sé is the direct translation for the psychological state of self-confidence. autostima refers specifically to self-esteem, and certezza describes the confidence one has in a fact or a specific outcome, which translates to certainty. If you wish to describe a person as being 'confident' using an adjective, use the phrase sicuro di sé.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing confidence in a person or an entity, the noun fiducia is typically followed by the preposition in, forming the phrase fiducia in.
How do you pronounce it?
The word fiducia is pronounced /fiˈdu.tʃa/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- While sicurezza means confidence or assurance, it is also the exact same word used for 'security' and 'safety'.
- Even though 'confidence' can mean a secret in English, the Italian fiducia cannot be used to describe a piece of confidential information.
- The word fiducia shares a deep root with the English word 'fiduciary', which describes a relationship of legal or ethical trust.
Examples in context
- Ho fiducia in te.I have confidence in you.This sentence is useful for expressing confidence in a person.Tatoeba #954930 by Guybrush88, translation #257142 by CK
- Ha fiducia in Tom.She has confidence in Tom.Tatoeba #3814190 by Guybrush88, translation #4573451 by imjcooper
- Ho fiducia in lui.I have confidence in him.Tatoeba #8927771 by Guybrush88, translation #1258626 by CH
- Ho piena sicurezza nelle mie capacitàI have full confidence in my abilities
- Mi ha espresso la sua fiducia nel progettoHe expressed his confidence in the project to me
- Ho sicurezza nel mio progettoI have confidence in my project
- Ho fiducia che andrà tutto beneI have confidence that everything will be fine
- Sono sicuro che riuscirò a raggiungere i miei obiettiviI am confident that I will achieve my goals
- 82 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are talking about a job interview.
- GiuliaLorenzo, hai fiducia nelle tue capacità?Lorenzo, do you have confidence in your abilities?
- LorenzoSinceramente, non molta fiducia oggi.Honestly, not much confidence today.
- GiuliaDevi avere più fiducia in te stesso!You need to have more confidence in yourself!
- LorenzoGrazie, Giulia, mi aiuti a ritrovare la fiducia.Thanks, Giulia, you are helping me find my confidence again.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “confidence” translations and entries fiducia, autostima, certezza, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
